* Overall satisfaction is an individual rating and not a combined total of all ratings. Brands with equal overall satisfaction ratings are listed in alphabetical order. * EnergyAustralia includes results for TRUenergy.

EnergyAustralia claims top spot with South Australian energy consumers

EnergyAustralia went up against four other South Australian electricity providers in our latest survey results, and emerged victorious with our most satisfied customers award for 2012.

Other rated brands – Simply Energy, Origin and AGL – performed well, with Simply Energy notably being awarded five stars for value for money, availability of payment plan options, and billing.

However it was our award-winner, EnergyAustralia, that really stood out – the brand awarded five stars for its uninterrupted supply of energy to homes across the state, availability of payment plans, customer service, information and advice about energy efficiency, and overall customer satisfaction.

The survey results showed 77% of South Australian electricity consumers reported receiving a more expensive electricity bill in the last quarter, perhaps explaining why 88% of survey respondents had changed their behavior to reduce electricity usage.

More than four in five customers recognized this as an issue their government should be addressing, declaring they would vote for a political party who promised to address rising electricity costs. They were less willing if this solution was nuclear power though: 42% said they would never vote for a political party who supported the introduction of nuclear energy.

Canstar Blue commissions Colmar Brunton to regularly survey 2,500 Australian consumers across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction. The outcomes reported are the results from customers of South Australian electricity providers within the survey group – in this case, 354 people. To qualify, the customer must have an electricity account and pay the bills.

Brands must receive at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands that received three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10.

Overall customer satisfaction

EnergyAustralia customers were most satisfied overall with their provider, and as a result they received a five star rating in this category. Simply Energy was next with four stars, Origin and AGL each received three.

Value for money

Simply Energy received the five star gong for value for money, closely followed by EnergyAustralia with four stars, and Origin and AGL with two.

Uninterrupted supply

Five stars were awarded to EnergyAustralia when it came to customer satisfaction with the supply of power. Simply Energy received a four star rating, and Origin and AGL rounded out the pack with three.

Availability of payment plan options

No distinction could be made between Simply Energy and EnergyAustralia when it came to the availability of payment plan options, so both were awarded five stars. Origin received four stars for its payment plan options and AGL received three.

Service (e.g. email, telephone service)

EnergyAustralia was awarded five stars for its service, followed by Simply Energy with four stars and Origin and AGL with three.

Billing (e.g. billing clarity, accuracy)

Simply Energy achieved five stars for the billing services provided to their customers, while EnergyAustralia received four stars, and Origin and AGL were each awarded three.

Information/advice about using electricity efficiently to save money

South Australians who had their electricity provided by EnergyAustralia were the most satisfied with the amount of information and advice they received regarding energy efficiency. AGL received four stars in this area, while Simply Energy was awarded three stars and Origin, two.

To our knowledge, all information in articles on the Canstar Blue website was correct at the time of publication. This information may have changed over time. Refer to the product fact sheet (or relevant similar documentation) before making any purchase decision. Canstar Blue's website terms and conditions apply.